Adam Davis

Adam Davis is DHM’s Senior Counsel. He began conducting qualitative and quantitative research in 1977. His work informed forward-looking public policy-making and planning, with the goal of improving livability and quality of life for everyday people. His clients included Oregon Public Broadcasting, Oregon Community Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Foundations for a Better Oregon, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Oregon Forest Resources Institute.

Adam is passionate about conducting research that gives a voice to members of every community, and he believes opinion research should go beyond the numbers to understand the motivations behind people’s beliefs. In 1992, he designed and led the first Oregon Values and Beliefs Project, a decennial study that illuminates what Oregonians across the state think about important issues affecting their social and political lives. It is a special point of pride for Adam that the project includes groups that are typically not heard in other public forums or civic participation methodologies and gives them the opportunity to weigh in.

In his role at DHM, Adam leads the Oregon Values and Beliefs Project, provides strategic project guidance, and is integral to the firm’s media relations and business development. As someone who values work that has positive community impact, Adam is known for his ability to develop research designs that meet the needs of projects with hard-to-reach populations or budgetary constraints.

He has been a member of the City Club of Portland since he was 17 years old and served on the Board of Governors from 2007–2010. Adam has also been involved with Portland State University as a part of the President Search Committee, and is currently on the Center for Urban and Public Affairs Advisory Council. He is also an Advisory Council member for the Proud Ground Community Land Trust and serves on the Specific Program Advisory Committee for Meyer Memorial Trust.

Adam has authored articles for publications such as Governing, Total Water Solutions, and Open Spaces Magazine. He is regularly asked to speak to leaders and policy makers about public opinion trends and has presented at national conferences on transportation, age-friendly communities, and water agency communications.

Adam holds a degree in political science from Portland State University and a J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law, where he also directed the Interviewing Skills Program.